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Electronics and communications design consultancy Plextek of Cambridge, UK has completed the design of 2W and 4W X-band power amplifier (PA) MMICs for a UK electronics component supplier. Preliminary data sheets are available, and samples will follow shortly.

Both MMICs cover the entire X-band (8-12GHz) and are available as bare die, packaged components or connectorized modules for use in applications such as point-to-point and point-to-multi-point radios and radars. An advantage of the PAs is that they will not be subject to the restrictions of the US Government’s International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR), says the firm, as fabrication, design and supply is all undertaken by non-US companies.

The X-band PAs are 50 ohms matched and require no external components. An on-chip active biasing network allows the use of a fixed gate bias potential and helps compensate for performance variation with temperature and process spread. The amplifiers are fabricated on a robust 0.5 micron gate-length power PHEMT process that is suited to high-volume production.

“Plextek has offered MMIC design services to its clients for over 10 years and carried out the design of over 30 MMICs,” says Liam Devlin, director of RF Integration. “We are already in discussions with the same client about future MMIC developments, including broadband (6-18GHz) digitally controlled phase-shifters, digitally controlled attenuators and power amplifiers.”

Plextek will be promoting its MMIC solutions and expertise at the IEEE MTT-S International Microwave Symposium 2008 in Atlanta, GA, USA (17-19 June).

See related item:

WIN appoints Plextek as approved third-party design house

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Visit: www.plextek.co.uk